The Tara Trials
by lovesbitch4spike
Summary: W/T with the focus on Tara. Spoilers for season six and BSD. Tara must go through the trials laid upon her by the powers that be in order to get her heart's true desire. Do to an intense writing session the series is now complete.
1. Light and Hope

Light and Hope

Disclaimer: The characters from Buffy are not mine, sadly. They belong to the good people at Fox, the WB, UPN and of course the God of all things Buffy, Joss Whedon.

Description: Purely W/T.

Spoilers: MAJOR SPOILAGE for the entire season six. BSD fully revealed.

Feedback: Yes please!

Distribution: If you wanna link to it, great. Also add a link to my site. If you wanna actually put it on your site, give me a heads up.

Rated: PG 

*****************************

Willow saw a small light bobbing about her room.

Funny, she thought, like a little Tinkerbell. Tinkerbell light … now why did that sound so familiar?

Before her eyes the light expanded and dissolved into a beautiful girl. Willow's beautiful girl, actually.

"Tara," she said, taking her lover's hand and wondering why it surprised her that it was so solid. Tara was in a long, flowing silver-blue dress, with her hair long and wild about her face. There was a calm air all around her.

"Willow," Tara answered, almost in a whisper.

Then it hit Willow, the memories. Tara crying out. Finding her in a pool of blood. Osiris denying her request. "Oh God, you're dead!" Willow threw her arms around her and kissed her until she thought her lips would go numb. "But how?"

"I will always find you. Death doesn't change that."

"I tried to find you Tara, but I got so lost." Willow began to cry.

Tara kissed away her tears. "Shhhh, don't wake her. The girl needs her sleep." She to Willow's bed, where Willow saw herself sleeping.

"This is a dream?" she asked.

"Dreams are real," Tara said, "They're just clearer than in waking life."

Willow looked into her beautiful eyes. "Are you happy where you are now?" The pain welling in her chest was nearly unbearable.

"I am safe and warm," Tara explained, "but I could never be truly happy away from you."

Then it hit Willow, the shame. "I don't think I could ever get where you are. Not now. The things I did …"

The heavenly blond took Willow's right hand in her own and traced a heart on the palm. "All will be forgiven, all will be redeemed."

"You forgive me? I'm such a wreck without you!"

Tara took Willow's left hand, tracing a star on the palm. "You are my light. You are my hope," she told her.

"Don't go. Don't leave me again!"

Tara traced a complex figure on her forehead. "One will be returned. Two will be reunited." She then laid a tender kiss on Willow's lips. "I will love you. Always."

* * *

Willow awoke with a start. Her face was wet from crying. She ran into the bathroom to get some tissues, till sobbing. What had that been? Wishful thinking on her part? An attempt to appease her own guilt?

She paused as she caught herself in the mirror. Her hands and her forehead were glowing. She finally recognized the symbol Tara had so carefully drawn. It was a phoenix.

That had been no ordinary dream.

TBC


	2. Into The Fire

Into The Fire

Disclaimer: The characters from Buffy are not mine, sadly. They belong to the good people at Fox, the WB, UPN and of course the God of all things Buffy, Joss Whedon.

Description: While the focus is W/T, this is Tara's fic.

Spoilers: The entire season six. BSD fully revealed.

Rated: PG 

*****************************

Tara called upon the powers that be. "I need to go back," Tara stated.

"No one needs to go back, Tara," they told her. "You're where you belong."

"Where I belong is with the people I love. I should be happy here, but I'm not."

They considered her request. "Very well, we will give your chance to return. But it will not be easy. If you fail, you can not come back."

"Then I won't fail," she answered.

* * *

"Hello, an welcome to the Interdimensionly Tours. I'll be your guide." The speaker was a quirky little old man, wearing golf pants and a baggy sweater, and sporting a large bald spot.

"You're to be my guide?" Tara wondered aloud.

"Well, I'm here to point you in the right direction. The road you choose to travel, you must travel alone. Now I'm going to let you in on a bit of a secret. It is possible to resurrect someone, although it is not easy. Remolding spirit and flesh is the work of the Gods, do you understand?"

"I need to beg a favor from the Gods?"

"No, no, no," he corrected, "They're to busy to see every little person who is having second thoughts about eternal bliss. You must master the elements. You must *become* a Goddess."

"When do I start?"

"There are four trials you must pass: Fire, Air, Water and Earth. If you succeed, you will be made a Goddess and will have the power to return yourself to human form."

"How will I know if I passed?"

"Oh, we've assembled a non-partial jury of lesser deities to overlook the proceedings. They'll let you know their decision."

"Um," Tara said, "T-there wouldn't happen to be anyone named G-glory on the panel, would there?"

"Glory? Oh yes, she's in charge of it all …" Tara's face fell. "Just kidding," he told her, "I gotcha with that one, didn't I?"

"You're first trial will be a trial of fire. You must walk through the fire untarnished to pass."

"Alright."

"You don't seem very scared. Most people are frightened."

"Well," she explained, "I know I'm going to succeed. I have to."

"Any particular reason?"

"True love."

The old man smiled. "I like you kid, you've got style – although I question the wardrobe. I hope you do succeed. It'd be nice to have someone with some drive in them lurking about the heavenly dimensions.

"Walk through those gates there, and the first trial will begin."

Tara walked through the silver gates. Instantly the temperature sky-rocketed. She found herself in a cavern made of brimstone, surrounded by demons. In the center of the room was a large blaze of fire, which no doubt was causing the unbearable heat that engulfed them all.

This is Hell, she thought. No, this is what we humans see as Hell.

The demons took notice of Tara. They surrounded her.

The largest began to chant, "One little Wiccan sitting in a tree, about to D-I-E for me."

He struck out at her, she ducked. Untarnished, she remembered. Did that mean that if she was harmed in any way she would fail?

Tara used her magic powers to push them away, with a loud shout of, "Refugere!"

She broke into a run, dodging the great pile of flames and following the tunnel. The more she ran, the more she felt she stayed in the same place. She looked back. She was still within the same room as before, and the demons were recovering from the light stun she had inflicted on them.

"You must walk through the fire," she repeated. How could she do that if there was no way out? Oh. She realized what she had to do.

She walked into the blaze in the center of the room. The pain was unbearable. Her hair sizzled. She felt her skin burn, crack and peel. She thought it would never end and then …

She was whole again, completely unscathed as though none of it had happened.

"Quite impressive Blondie," her guide said. "For a moment there I wasn't sure you'd go through with it. But you're a strong one, aren't you? Still there's no time for small talk. I need to brief you on the second test."

* * *

Willow was in the living room reading a book, when she noticed she was beginning to sweat. She couldn't figure out why it was so warm in the room, until she spotted the fireplace. Inside it, a fire was burning bright. That was odd. Buffy must have lit a fire and then forgotten about it.


	3. Through The Air

Through the Air

Disclaimer: The characters from Buffy are not mine, sadly. They belong to the good people at Fox, the WB, UPN and of course the God of all things Buffy, Joss Whedon.

Description: While the focus is W/T, this is Tara's fic.

Spoilers: The entire season six. BSD fully revealed.

Rated: PG 

*****************************

"That little spell of yours was clever," her spirit guide told her, "but be warned: in your next tests spells may hinder rather than help you."

"What is the next task?" she asked.

He pointed to the center of the room, where there was a large well. "Air."

"Shouldn't you mean water?" Tara asked, furrowing her brow.

"I've been a spirit guide for a thousand years, you've been taking these trials for two minutes. I think I know my trials by now."

"Sorry," Tara apologized. "What do I have to do?"

"Think nothing of it kid. If you never ask questions, you never learn. To pass the second test you must soar through eternity, never pausing for a breath."

"Oh. Ok." Tara stood dumbfounded for a moment, trying to figure out how she might do that.

"And you do that by jumping through the well," he added.

Tara needed no further instruction. She ran and jumped through the well.

Immediately she found herself falling down, down through the bluest sky. At first the sensation was pleasant. The wind played with her hair and her dress. But as she continued to fall, the panic set in. She was out of control and there was no end in sight. She knew she could cast a spell and slow herself down. All it would take was a few words of power, she'd be fine.

But Tara also knew that she would fail the test if she let herself consider such an option. If she ever wanted to be with Willow again, she would have to keep on falling and falling and falling …

She fell for what seemed like days, months, years. Suddenly she spotted the ground racing towards her. She braced herself for impact, but it did no good. As she landed with a loud crash, she felt every bone in her body shatter into a million pieces. She spasmed and convulsed in a haze of pain.

And once more she was whole.

"That's a nasty one," the little old man told her, scratching his bald spot, "but you handled it nicely."

* * *

Willow shivered as a gust of wind chilled her to the bone. She crossed to the window to close it, but to surprise it was already shut. 

Hmmmm . . . she thought, I never noticed the house was drafty before.


	4. From The Watery Depths

From The Watery Depths

Disclaimer: The characters from Buffy are not mine, sadly. They belong to the good people at Fox, the WB, UPN and of course the God of all things Buffy, Joss Whedon.

Description: While the focus is W/T, this is Tara's fic.

Spoilers: The entire season six. BSD fully revealed.

Rated: PG 

*****************************

"How are you holding up?" the spirit guide asked her. "Can I get you something? Coffee, juice, soda?"

"Is this heaven or a cafe?" Tara responded with a smile. She was grateful for the chance to rest for a few moments before plunging into the next, no doubt painful, task. "Can I just have a glass of water?"

The spirit guide frowned. "Trust me, that's not the answer you want to give. Here, have a mocha." It appeared out of thin air and she sipped it. Not too cold, not too hot. McDonalds should take lessons from the heavenly dimensions. Perhaps then they would get sued less.

"So, um, mister spirit guide-"

"Call me Arimipifocusgildanovaered."

Tara paused. That was not a stutter-friendly name. "Arim-mip-p-"

He laughed. "Or I also go by Ari for short."

She breathed a sigh of relief. That she could say.

"Well, Ari, what's in this for you? If I succeed do you get your wings, like in It's A Wonderful life?"

"No," he admitted, "nothing that fancy. I was very lost on earth. I felt sad and alone and without meaning. Secretly, I always had admired those who thrived on life. When   
I got here, there was a job opening so I applied. Thus I found my purpose after death, to help those in need to find their way back. You have a will to live like no other I've seen before. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you kid."

"Thank you." She sensed that the moment to rest had passed. After all she was only halfway through her trials. "I'm ready to go on."

"If you insist. The third task: The water must surround you, fill you, cover you."

She was about to ask for further clarification when she found herself on a beach. Waves came at her from all directions. As she washed around her she flinched. Icy cold stung her flesh. More waves crashed until she was engulfed in it to the point where she could no longer tell where the surface of the water was. Her lungs began to protest. She was holding her breath. She knew she mustn't, for that was a part of her test, but her body had other ideas. Her lungs cries turned into screams. Finally, exhausted, body and mind agreed that it was time. She breathed in the liquid ice that imprisoned her. So this was what it was to drown. No wonder Buffy had hated it so. She was terrified. She struggled too late to get to the surface, but it was no use. Deprived of oxygen, Tara died once more.

Only to be returned to Ari unscathed.

"Bet you'll never look at H2O the same way again, huh?" he told her.

Tara nodded her head in agreement.

* * *

Willow was in the shower when the water turned cold. Grrr, she thought, Dawn must have flushed the toilet. 

However when she got out of the shower she noticed the faucet was on full blast. She threw a towel around herself and ran down stairs. The kitchen sink was running too. A shiver went through her. She checked the rest of the house. Every source of water was running, and all of it was ice cold.

Willow let it run. She had a flicker of an idea who her ghost might be. "Tara!" she called out. "Is that you?" There was no response. Willow scolded herself for her disappointment. In Sunnydale, there were a million ghosts who could be haunting her house. Still, she could have sworn . . .

"Tara," she said, not caring if she could be heard or not. "If you can hear me, know that I love you. Always and forever."


	5. Under The Ground

Under The Ground

Disclaimer: The characters from Buffy are not mine, sadly. They belong to the good people at Fox, the WB, UPN and of course the God of all things Buffy, Joss Whedon.

Description: While the focus is W/T, this is Tara's fic.

Spoilers: The entire season six. BSD fully revealed.

Rated: PG 

*****************************

Tara felt a warmth flow through her. "Always and forever," a voice whispered in the back of her brain. _Willow_.

"Give me the next task," she told him, impatient to go on. Her everything needed her.

"Do not be hasty to meet your next doom my child. Patience is a virtue," he reminded her.

Tara willed herself to have patience that instant. It didn't work. Hopefully that would not factor in on her final score.

"You face a trial by earth. Earth brings life. Plants grow. Blossoms bloom. And earth also is death." Ari picked up a handful of dirt and began sprinkling it over her hear. "From death, it brings new life." He paused in the proceedings to squeeze her hand. "Good luck."

The ground fell out from underneath Tara. Didn't I already passed this test? she wondered. Her question was answered, for she did not fall long. She hit the bottom with a soft thud. Looking up, she realized where she was. She was in a grave. An open grave. Dirt was shoveled on top of her. Being buried alive couldn't be worse than any of her other tasks, she told herself. She was wrong. In addition to the smothering there was a crushing weight and the dark. Dirt filled her mouth and nostrils. This time, the smothering was worse.

Tara waited for it to end. She knew she just had to hold out a little longer and she would be revived and rewarded.

Only it didn't happen. She stayed under the dirt, long after she should have been dead.

A worm nipped at her finger and she realized why. From death, it brings new life.

She was going to be picked apart.

Insects devoured her flesh. She would have screamed had her mouth not been filled. The pain was blinding, and it touched every part of her. Truly, this was the worst fate possible.

Finally, she was made whole.

She shook, weak from the encounter.

"You are amazing," Ari told her, "Few have been able to withstand the torments of the earth. I think there is hope for you yet."

* * *

Willow grabbed her bag and headed off to school. As she stepped out the door she stared in amazement at the front lawn.

All of it was abloom with flowers.


	6. The Final Task

The Final Task

Disclaimer: The characters from Buffy are not mine, sadly. They belong to the good people at Fox, the WB, UPN and of course the God of all things Buffy, Joss Whedon.

Description: While the focus is W/T, this is Tara's fic.

Spoilers: The entire season six. BSD fully revealed.

Rated: PG 

*****************************

"And now for the final task," Ari began.

"Final task?" Tara looked at him as if he had grown a second head. "I passed the tasks: fire, air, water and earth. There are no other elements. There can be no other task."

Ari tsked her. "Child, when you were in school did you ever take anything called a pop quiz?"

"Yes," she said.

"Well, think of this as the eternal pop quiz."

Tara was bitter. "You lied to me. How do I even know that *this* is the last task?"

"Because it is. Don't give me attitude young lady. I don't make the rules, I just enforce them. Do you want to be a Goddess or don't you?"

She relented, cursing under her breath.

"I heard that," he said. "There are no internal monologues when you're working with a spirit guide."

"So what's the task?" she asked.

There was no answer.

Tara was alone.

And then she was not. In front of her stood Willow.

Her soul mate.

Tara ran to embrace her, but found she could not more.

What was going on?

Willow looked at her, straight at her, but did not see her. Suddenly the redhead grabbed her neck. She made sputtering sounds.

She was being choked to death by invisible hands.

Tara tried to save her, but she was frozen. She uttered spells, but to no effect. Tara could not watch any longer and closed her eyes. It did no good. Behind her eyelids was the ever-present vision of Willow struggling. No matter what she did, all she saw was her.

Finally, Willow went limp and died.

Tara found herself facing Ari.

Tears streamed down her cheeks as she screamed in outrage, "What was that? You're going to give me life only to take away the one thing I had that was worth living for? Is this some kind of sick cosmic joke?"

"Kiddo, calm down," Ari told her.

"Calm down? Calm down?! I will not be calm. How dare you take her like that. Let me wander between Heaven and Hell eternally, just bring her back!"

"Shhh child!" he commanded. "Do not say such things with out thinking." He placed a medallion round her neck. It was old and delicate, bearing an intricate symbol of power long forgotten to man.

"You are a goddess."

Power flooded through her. This change was pleasant, not painful. Tara opened her eyes to find the world brighter and more beautiful than she had ever thought possible.

"But what's the good if she's not …"

"You are a goddess," he repeated. "With the power to give life to the dead."

And then it became clear to her, what the final task was about.

"In order to give life you must first experience death," Ari explained. "Only when you have been through the worst of it can you truly grow to respect it. You must understand completely what it is to take life, before you can give it. Only then can you do so fairly and wisely."

"How do I bring her back?" Tara asked.

"Breathe the life into her."

Tara leaned over her fallen lovers body. She blew a gentle breath over her, starting at her feet. Willow's toes twitched. Tara traveled up the length of the redhead's body, gently caressing her with her breath.

Willow awoke.

"Funny," she said. "Must have passed out. That's it, no more skipping breakfast for me."

She got up and went to make herself a bowl of Wheaties.

"She doesn't see me," Tara realized.

"No. You're not yet alive. In this form, she can see you in dreams and visions only."

"How do I make myself mortal?" she asked.

"A bit differently then how you resurrected her. She already had matter, it was just empty. You, you must create yourself from scratch. Simply will it to be."

Tara closed her eyes, and called on her power.

"Wait! Think before you do this. As a Goddess you could help your lover and your friends. You could protect them. You could guide them. Become mortal and you can never turn back."

"I love her. I belong by her side, nowhere else."

He nodded. "Good luck to you Tara. Remember you have friends in high places."

Tara gave Ari a hug and a kiss on the cheek. He blushed. "Well, go on with it. She's waiting."

Tara closed her eyes and called on her powers. She willed nothingness to mold into flesh. She felt her fingers, her toes and then her arms and legs, her torso and her head. She looked herself up and down. Human again.

"Nice work," he told her, "Very accurate. Sometimes people will slim the hips or the nose down a bit. So mortal child, anywhere you'd like me to pop you back?"

"How about home?"


	7. Goddess

Goddess

Disclaimer: The characters from Buffy are not mine, sadly. They belong to the good people at Fox, the WB, UPN and of course the God of all things Buffy, Joss Whedon.

Description: W/T.

Spoilers: The entire season six. BSD fully revealed.

Rated: PG 

*****************************

Willow walked into her room. Her bed was covered in rose petals.

"Huh? How did …" she began.

Soft arms enfolded her from behind. She turned to find her lover gazing back at her.

"Tara! Don't pinch me, because this time I never want to wake up."

"This isn't a dream," Tara told her.

"Yeah right. If I were dreaming, that's exactly what I would have you say."

"Oh really. If you were dreaming, would I do this?" Tara stuck out her tongue and crossed her eyes, making a funny face.

"Uh, probably not, unless I had eaten something bad," Willow admitted.

"Then kiss me already. I went through Hell to try and get back to you. The least you could do is give me a proper snuggle."

Willow's eyes lit up. "You're really back."

"I'm really back."

A kiss? That may have been the extent of Tara's demands, but Willow had better plans. She kissed her passionately, pulling her down to make proper use of the florally decorated bed.


End file.
